Reflector mounting



Patented dan. 19, 1937 UNITEDy STAT TENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to devices for attaching shades or reectors to the supporting structure of lamps.

It is an object of the invention to provide a mounting for lamp shades, or the like, by means of which the shade may be moved independently of the mounting, or other parts of the lamp support, so as to direct the light rays from the lamp in desired directions.

Another object of the invention is to provide for mounting the lamp shade or reflector separately from the lamp socket so that rotation of the shade is not liable to cause rotation of the socket and possibly short circuit the lamp wiring due to twisting of the latter.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, together with the foregoing, will be set forth in the detailed description of the invention which follows, however it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment thereof shown and described as various forms thereof may be employed within the scope of the appended claim.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation showing the mounting of my invention incorporated in a lamp.

Figure 2 is a plan view, with parts in section, looking down on the reflector mounting as indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure l. Parts of the view are also broken away so as to disclose the construction more clearly.

Figure 3 is a View partly in section and partly in side elevation showing the mounting for a variant form of reflector.

It is the usual practice, in the construction of lamps, to provide a support which is usually a tubular member forming a stand, for supporting the lamp on the floor, or a bracket for mounting the lamp on a supporting object. In any event, the current conductors are led through this tubular member and are connected to the lamp socket which is generally screwed on to the tubular member; the former being provided with a threaded hub for receiving the threaded end of the latter. A set-screw is usually placed in the .socket hub for locking the socket against rotation on the supporting member.

In most of these lamps, shades or reflectors of one form or another are used, and it is the usual practice to mount these on the socket either by providing the shades with clamps for securing them to a standard type of socket having a plain cylindrical surface for receiving them, or with a (Cl. 2MP- 52) threaded collar which can be screwed on to another standard type of socket provided with threads for receiving these collars.

In lamps, wherein it is desired that the shades be adjustable so as to permit direction of the light rays without disturbing the lamp stand, the stands, adjacent the lamp socket, are provided with knuckle or universal joints which permit the shade to be tilted to any position within the range of movement of the joints.

Difficulty has been experienced both with the jointed stand type of lamp and the non-adjustable type. In the former, constant movement of the shade will cause exing of the conductors where they pass through or around the joints, with the result that some or all of the conductor strands are broken, causing in the first instance, the conductor to burn out, due to the inability of the remaining whole strands to carry the current, or in the latter instance, opening of the lamp circuit.

In the non-adjustable type of lamp, while they are not liable tol the conductor breakage mentioned above, constant handling of the lamp shade, as children are Wont to do, will cause the socket set-screw to become loose and allow the socket itself to be rotated on the stand. If this is not remedied by tightening the set-screw, the conductors due to being twisted, are liable to contact each other, thereby causing a short circuit which will blow the line fuses.

I have provided a mounting for shades or reflectors on lamp stands which obviates these undesirable features and permits the adjustment of the shades without the use of knuckle or universal joints in the supporting structure of the lamp.

In detail, with reference to Figure 1 of the drawing, the usual tubular portion of the lamp support t is provided with a downwardly directed bend 5 into the end of which is sweated a sleeve 8 having a flange 'I formed thereon and a threaded extension 8. The sleeve and extension 8 are bored to allow passage therethrough of the lamp cord 9 whose conductors II! are connected to the terminals of a conventional lamp socket I I, which carries the lamp I2, and which is provided with a tapped hub I3 screwed on tol the end of the extension 8. A knurled nut I4 is also threaded on the extension and is provided at its end with a fiange I5 similar to the flange l.

Disposed between the opposed faces of the flanges 'I and I5 is a pair of washers I6 and I1, the former of which is provided with a concave face I8, which conforms with the outer surface of a reflector I9, and the latter of which is provided With a convex face 20 conforming With the curve of the inner surface of the reflector. The reector is provided with an elongated aperture 2| through which the extension 8 passes.

By this construction it is obvious that the re ector may be displaced angularly, With respect to the vertical axis passing through the lamp, Within the range permitted by the length of the aperture ZI, and that this displacement may be obtained in all directions from the axis by rotating both the reflector and the Washers 'I and I5. It is also obvious that by tightening the knurled nut I4 to clamp the Washers together the reflector may be locked in the desired adjusted position.

In Figure 3 I have shown the mounting used with the familiar type of reector used in many desk lamps. In this construction the Washers I6 and 20 are dispensed with; the end Wall 22 of the reflector 23 being provided with an aperture through which the extension 8 passes. It Will be seen that this provides for rotational movement of the reflector about the horizontal axis of theV lamp only, as this adjustment is the only one required in a desk lamp, and that the reector may be locked in adjusted position by tightening the nut I4 to clamp the reflector end wall between the opposed faces of the flanges 'I and I5.

aoeaiee In both modications illustrated it will be observed that the reilector mounting is independent of the socket and that any amount of rocking or'rotation of the former is not liable to cause disturbance of the latter and cause the Wire breakage or short circuiting mentioned above.

It Will of course be understood that the curved faces I8 and 2U of the Washers may be either arcuate or spherical surfaces, depending on the shape of the reflector used in the lamp.

I claim:

The combination, with the supporting structure of a lamp provided with a reector having a curved surface thereon provided with an elongated aperture and a threaded sternl passing through said aperture, of a flange fixed to said stem, a nut threaded on saidstem and provided with a flange facing said xed flange, and a pair of Washers rotatably mounted von said stem between said flanges, said washers having plane surfaces contacting said flanges and opposed correlated curved surfaces spaced apart to provide a space in Which said curved surface of the reflector is slidably mounted.

JAMES J. ONEILL. 25 

